Lumber-kiln.



No. 674,498. Patented May 2i, |9o|..

J. c. nuzusn & J. L. WALKER.

Y LUMBER KILN.

(Application filed Aug. 9. 1900.) -(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

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LUMBER KILN.

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No. 674,498. Patented May 2!, l-9OI. J. 0. DOZIER & J. L. WALKER.

LUMBER KILN,

(Application filed Aug. 9, 1900.|

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J. c. DOZIEB & .1. L WALKER. LUMBER KlLN (Appfication filed Aug 9, 1900.

No. 674,498 *Paiten tg May 2|, 19m.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

I I l I lIi Pa 7 W. c/ffifije? it asses UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES C. DOZIER AND JOSEPH L. WALKER, OF COLUMBUS, KENTUCKY.

LUMBER-KILN.

PE IC N forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,498, dated May 21, 1901.

. Application filed August 9, 1900. Serial No. 26,414.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES C. DOZIER and JOSEPH L. WALKER, citizens of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Hickman and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Lumber-Kiln, of which the fol-lowing is a specification.

Our invention is an improved kiln for dryin glu mber, staves,heading, shingles,veneers, and the like; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices, hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

One object of our invention is to effect improvements in the construction of the kiln whereby the stock in the drying-cars is subjected to the action of an ascending current of heated air in which the drying-cars are disposed, so that the stock is uniformly seasoned.

A further object of our invention is to combine with a drying-tower, in which the stock is dried, means for elevating cars containing 4 green stock successively to the tower and simultaneously lowering the cars containing the stock in the tower, so that the car with the green stock can be disposed uppermost in the drying-tower.

A further object of our invention is to provide means for supporting the superincumbent'cars in the drying-tower while the lowermost car is being run out therefrom, for lowering'the cars inthe tower, automatically disengaging the lower car when it reaches the bottom of the tower, and engaging the car next above in series.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a kiln for drying lumber embodying our improvements. Fig. 2

is a similar view of the same, taken on a plane at right angles to the plane of the section of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View, on a somewhat larger scale, showing the means for supporting the superincumbent cars above the lowermost car in the tower while the bottom car is being run out therefrom. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the position assumed by the parts While the cars are being simultaneously lowered in the drying-tower. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the position assumed by the suspending-hooks in disengaging the lower car. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the lowering-hooks and the spring for disengaging the same automatically from the car. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of one of the drying-racks. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a modified form of our invention. Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional view of the same, taken on the line b b of Fig. 8.

In the embodiment of our invention we provide a drying-tower 1, the sides of which are preferably doubled, as shown,.to form a deadair space 2 around the sides of the tower to retain the heat in the latter by forming a nonconductor of heat between the interior of the tower and the outer surrounding air. The tower may be of any suitable construction, is provided on one side, at the base thereof, with a door 3, through which the cars may be successively run out of the tower on the tracks 4 as the cars are lowered in the tower, and the latter is also provided at a suitable height with a door 5, through which cars may be admitted to the upper portion of the tower from a bridge or platform 6, which connects the tower with an elevating frame or way '7, in

which travels an elevating-car 8 of suitable construction. A hot-air pipe 9 admits hot air to the base of the tower, and the roof of the latter is provided with an escape-opening 10 for the heated air as the same rises through the tower.

In connection with our improved kiln we employ a series of drying-cars 11, which may be of any suitable construction and the flanged supporting-wheels 12 of which are adapted to travel on the trackways 4 in the base of the tower and which extend outward therefrom through the door 3 and the similar trackways 8 6', with which the elevating-car and bridge or platform 6 are respectively provided. The supporting-wheels of one car are also adapted to engage and rest upon the upper sides of another car when the same is lowered thereon.

In the upper portion of the drying-tower, transversely disposed across the same near the center thereof, is a shaft 13, which is proa crank 18, by which it may be turned to communicate rotary motion to the shaft 13 and the drums thereon. A hoisting rope or cable 19 is attached to the elevator-car 8, passes over a guide-sheave 20 at the'upper end of the frame or way 7, and is attached to and adapted to be coiled upon and unwound from the drum 14. Lowering ropes or cables 21 are attached to and adapted to be wound upon and paid out from the drums 15, and to the lower end of the said ropes or cables 21 are attached suspending-hooks 22. Each hook 22 is provided at its upper end with an outturned arm 23, having an eye 24 at its outer end for the attachment of the lower end of one of the lowering ropes or cables, so that the hook is connected thereto at a point on one side of the center of gravity thereof, and each of said hooks is provided at its lower end with the inturned engaging shoulder 25, the lower side of which is inclined, as at 26. The said suspendingbooks 22 operate in guide frames or cases 27 in opposite sides of the tower and which extend upward a suitable distancefrom the base thereof, and disposed in the paths of the said suspendinghooks, near the lowermost limits of the movements thereof, are't-ripping-springs 28, which may be either of the form here shown or of any other suitable form and are supported by any suitable means.

The operation of our improved lumber-drying kiln is as follows: The cars containing the stock to be dried or seasoned are disposed one above the other in vertical series in the drying-tower, being lowered therein from the platform or bridge to which they are succesa sively conveyed by the elevator-car through bars or rods 29, disposed in the frames or cases 27 and bearing against the outer sides of the said suspending-hooks. The lumber or stock in the lowermost car which is nearest the heated air admitted to the lower side of the tower becomes seasoned in advance of the lumber or stock in the superincumbent cars. In order to run out the said lower car from the tower when the lumber therein is seasoned, it is necessary to relieve said car of the weight of the superincumbent loaded cars, and this is done by means of the drums 15 and lowering-ropes 21. Having raised the superincumbent cars a slight distance to relieve the lowermost car of the weight thereof, the door 3 is opened and the lowermost car is run out of the tower upon the trackway 4. At the same timea car containing green lumber is run onto the elevator-car 8. The door 3 is then closed and the shaft 13, with its drums 14 15, rotated by means of the gearing hereinbefore described. This lowers the cars in the dryingtower and simultaneously raises the elevatorcar. The drums 15 let are so proportioned that as the lowermost car of the series of cars in the drying-tower reaches the trackway 4 in the base of the tower the floor of the elevator-car reaches the level of the bridge or platform 6. The car containing the green lumber is then run from the said bridge or platform through the door 5 onto the uppermost car of the series within the drying-tower. The said door 5 is then closed, and the shaft 13 being then turned in the same direction as before the lowering-cables 21 become slackened, and the shoulders 25 of the suspendinghook being disposed opposite and in engagement with the springs 28 the latter as the hooks release their engagement of the lowermost car move the lowerends of the said hooks outwardly, thereby entirely disengaging the same from the said car automatically. Owing to the fact that the suspending-hooks are attached at a point to one side of their centers of gravity to the lowering-cables 21 the said hooks 10 normally tend to disengage the bottom car when the said cables 21 are thus slackened; but we employ the tripping-springs 28 in order to render disengagement of the suspending-hooks from the car positive and insure the perfect automatic operation thereof. Having thus disengaged the hooks from the lowest car in the series, the shaft 13 is then turned in a reverse direction, thereby elevating the suspending-hooks 22 by winding up the cables 21, and as the said suspendinghooks are carried upward the rods or bars 29, which engage the outer sides thereof, move the same inward, thereby causing the said hooks to engage the lower sides of the second car from the bottom of the tower. It will be understood from the foregoing that as each car in succession, with its load of seasoned lumber, is run out of the drying-tower another car containing a load of green lumber is disposed on the top of the series of cars in the drying-tower.

Our improved drying kiln is especially adapted for use in seasoning lumber of that class which is now known as veneer, such as is used for making shipping-boxes and other vessels of similar character. A feature of our invention is a drying-rack for holding a veneer while the same is being seasoned, which rack we will now describe.

Our improved veneer-drying rack comprises a pair of longitudinally-disposed bars a and a series of connecting-bars 19, disposed on one side thereof and the ends of which are secured to the bars a, as shown. The said bars I) are spaced at suitable distances apart, and the thickness of the bars a corresponds to that of the veneerwhich is to be dried in the rack. In practice each car is provided with a series of our improved racks, which are disposed transversely in the car and are inclined there- TIO in in one direction, as shown, portfoliowise, and the veneers being placed in the racks the same when disposed as shown and hereinbefore described form flues between the veneers through which the ascending current of heated air passes, and thereby both surfaces of each veneer are exposed directly to said heated ascending current of air. It will be understood that by this disposition of the veneers in the racks, whereby the current of heated air impinges directly on both sides of each veneer the stock becomes thoroughly dried and seasoned in a comparatively short time. It will be further understood that inasmuch as the drying-racks have their bars a of the same thickness as the veneers therein the latter are firmly supported on both sides by the drying-racks and effectually prevented from curling or warping while being seasoned. It will be further understood that owing to the variation in the size of the dru ms 14: 15 the car on the elevator-car will counterbalance the series of cars in the drying-tower supported by the ropes or cables 21, so that little or no power is required to elevate the car in the elevator-car.

Where the capacity of the drying-tower is such that a number of cars are simultaneously disposed therein, it is desirable to employ two winches disposed one in each side of the tower at a suitable distance from the base thereof to connect the said winches with the elevating-car, as hereinbefore described, and to also connect the said winches together, as by sprocket-wheels c and a sprocket-chain e, to cause them to operate simultaneously. A drying-tower thus equipped is shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings.

Other modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of our invent-ion, and we do not desire to limit ourselves to the precise construction and combination of devices hereinbefore described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- 1. In a lumber-kiln, the combination of a drying-tower, a hoisting-winch having drums of unequal diameters, lowering-tackles attached to and depending from the smaller drums, for lowering drying-cars in the tower, said lowering-tackles having the hooks to engage the drying-cars successively, means to automatically disengage said hooks from the lowermost drying-car when the latter reaches the bottom of the tower, and an elevator-car having its hoisting-rope attached to the larger drum of said winch, substantially as described.

2. In a lumber-kiln, the combination of a drying-tower in which drying-cars are superimposed, said tower having an upper door, an elevated platform, and a lower door, on one side thereof, an elevator-car to raise a drying car to said elevated platform and means including a differential mechanism to raise said elevator-car to said elevated platform and to support and lower the superimposed drying-cars in the tower, substantially as described.

3. In a lumber-kiln, the combination of a drying-tower, in which drying-cars are superimposed, said tower having an upper door, an elevated platform and a lower door, an elevator-car to raise a drying-car to said elevated platform, a winch having drums of unequal diameters, lowering-tackles attached to and depending from the smaller drums for lowering and supporting the superimposed drying-cars in the tower, and the hoistingrope attached to the larger drum and to said elevator-car, substantially as described.

4. In a lumber-kiln, the combination of a drying-tower, a hoisting-winch having drums of unequal diameter, loweringtackles attached to and depending from the smaller drums for lowering drying-cars in the tower, and an elevator-car having its hoisting-rope attached to the larger drum, said drums being proportioned substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination, in a lumber-kiln, of the drying-tower, the hoisting-tackle, and the suspending-hooks attached to the lower ends of the hoisting-tackle, said hooks having the ou ttu rned attaching-arms at their upper ends and the inward-projecting engaging shoulders at their lower ends, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES C. DOZIER. JOSEPH L. WALKER. 

